Apparatus for and process of treatment of liquid



Aug.. g, wm. H. E. ANDERSON www APPARATUS FOR AND PROCESS OF TREATMENT OF LIQUID Filed Oct. 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ff" l Aung.. 9, Wv H. a.V ANDERSON APPARATUS FOR AND PROCESS OF TREATMENT OF LIQUID Filed 0G'c. 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BNDERSN HUMAN-'114 Patented Aug. 9, 193s i 2,126,164

.UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlc APPARATUS FR, AND PROCESS F TREAT- l MENT 0F LIQUID Herman B. Anderson, Louisville, Ky. Application October 29, 1935, Serial No. 47,333 6 Claims.l (Cl. 21o-26) The present invention relates to the treatment ough vconditioning of the liquid after the mixing of liquids, and more particularly to the mixing has taken place and agitating the mixture durand conditioning of a liquid that is to bepuriiied. ing this period.

In the treatment of a liquid, for example, raw These objects are attained by providing a comwater where coagulants, such as sulphate of alubined mixing and conditioning basin or recepta- 5 minum, areapplied in solution, or mixtures in cle, having an inlet for liquid to be treated at suspensions such as milk of lime or activated its top and an outlet for treated liquid at its carbon are supplied, it is essential that a rapid bottom, and having a seriesv of injectors for supand thorough admixture be obtained with the inplying jets of liquid and entrained gas forcibly l0 coming liquid to be treated, and at a uniform rate into the contents of the receptacle. `The injecl0 in order to lprevent streaming,l stratication or tors direct the jets downwardly at an angle and settling. at a tangent to the iow of liquid in the recepf In many liquid treating processes, it is necestacle, and set up a zone of violent agitation at sary to treat the liquid with a gas. For examthe top of the receptacle, from which zone the ple in the purification of water or sewage, air or liquid Hows in a. swirling spiral current to the l5 other gas may be introduced for absorption by outlet at the bottom. 'I'he treating materials the liquid. Gases may also be used for agitatwhich may be solid or liquid are introduced into ing liquids. Examples of theuse of gases are.- the zone of agitation and are thoroughly mixed air for aeration, treating lime-soda softened wa- With the liquid by the action of the jets.

ter with carbon dioxide for what is commonly In the accompanying drawings: 20 called recarbonation", or the application of Figure 1 is a sectional view of one embodiment sterilizing gases for the purpose of destroying of the invention.

bacteria. Figure 2 is atop plan view ofthe same. Heretofore the introduction of gas into a liq- Figure 3 is a sectional view showing 4one of the uid has been accomplished by liberating it at the jets -and manifold.- 25

bottom of a receptacle containing the liquid and Figure 4 is a sectional view of 'one of the jets.

allowing it t0 rise in the form of bubbles, Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of a plant for VBubbles that rise ofv their own buoyancy the treatment of sewage.

through a substantially still liquid are ordinarily In the embodiment shown in Figures 1-3 vinrelatively large and do not eil'ectively mix with aelusive, which is primarily intended for the treat- 30 or agitate the liquid through which they rise, nor ment of raw water, the treatment takes place in are they very greatly absorbed. To be effective, a tank or receptacle 6, which may have an open bubbles of gas must be of` small size and great top. The receptacle 6 is provided with an inlet number in'order that they do not rise rapidlyand riser 1 that discharges centrally at the top 0f that they provide a large amount of surface area the tank and an outlet 8 that discharges from -35 for contact with the liquid. the bottom of the tank into a stilling chamber After a'treatlng substance has been mixed with S. from Awhich the Water OWS t0 8 Settlingthe liquid, a period of conditioning is necessary. basin l0. y This conditioning is a contact process. during This form of device is intended for use with 4t which physical changes'and chemical reactions the water lloc-producing materials and with 40 take place. 'I'he building up of hydrate iloc in sterilizing or other gases, fdr example, air for the treatment of water, o r the absorlzitlonof oxyaerating, and for agitating the water. For these gen by sewage, are examples. purposes the tank is equipped with a circular One object of the present invention ls the promanifold Il which may be above the surface of .'45 vision of a process and f simple and eiective the liquid in the tank, and which is located cen- 45 apparatus whereby liquid to be treated is thortra-ily with respect to the walls oi the tank and' oughly mixed with one or more substances in the inlet riser. The manifold is divided into Atwo either liquid, solid, or gaseous form. passages, one of which I2 is' supplied with gas Another object is the provision of apparatus or air, at atmospheric or above atmospheric presthat makes possible the mixing of liquid to be sure from a suitable gasline I3. The other pas 50 treated with a large number of minute gas bubsage I4 of the manifoldy is supplied with liquid bles. y under pressure, in this case with treated water Another object is tol provide means for viowhich has passed through the tank 6 and is lently agitating the liquid. drawn from the stilling chamber 9 by means ot Still another object is -to provide for the thora pipe I5 and delivered under pressure by means 55 of a pump I6 to the passage I4 in the manifold. 'Ihe manifold carries a plurality of injectors I1, each of which has a nozzle I8 and a mixing chamber I9 (shown in cross section in Figure 4) The mixing chamber I9 surrounds the end of a liquid discharge tube 2li which is directed into the opening of the nozzle I8, whereby gas supplied to the chamber I9 by a gas pipe 2l is entrained in the jet of liquid. A

The injectors II are supported by the pipes 2li and 2l which connect respectively with the liquid and gas passages of the manifold II. These pipes are made of ductile metal, such as copper, in order to allow theA position and-angle of the jets to be changed for a purpose to be described later. The nozzles I8 are of a metal similar to that of the pipes2ll and 2l.

Coagulants, such as sulphate of alumina., or other chemicals or chemical mixtures, may be supplied to the liquid in the tank 6 by means of a pipe 22 connected with a suitable source of supply.v In operating the apparatus, the injectors I1 are adjusted at a downward angle with relation to the surface of the liquid in the tank, and they are also arranged at a tangent so that the jets delivered by them at high pressure tend to move the liquid in the tank in a circular direction, and as the liquid flowsdownwardly from the inlet to the outlet, it flows in the form of a swirling spiral.`

The treatment of the liquid may be varied in accordance with its requirements by adjusting the angle of the injectors I1 and the nozzles I8 and the depth below the surface of the liquid at which the nozzles deliver` the jets of liquid and gas. 'I'he violence of the agitation is controlled by the downward angleof the nozzles and the pressure at which the gas and liquid are delivered to the injectors, and also by the static pressure against. which the nozzles I8 deliver the jets. The'length of travel and circular rotating velocity for the passage of liquid through the tank is governed by the angle at which the nozzles are set. The size of the bubbles is determined by the pressure and velocity at which the gas and liquid are delivered to the manifold Il. All of these conditions are controllable in this apparatus. The angle and position of the nozzles is changed by bending the pipes 20 and 2I and by bending the nozzles I8, and the pressure ofthe fluids being controllable in an obvious manner. The static pressure against which the nozzles I8 deliver the jets is controlled by changing the depth below the surface at which they deliver.

While the liquid is shown as being drawn from the stilling chamber 9, it will be apparent that any suitable source of supply will-be satisfactory. In the treatment of filtered water, iforv example, it has been determined that it is desirable to use water from the bottom of the clear well for delivery by the nozzles to agitate and aerate the water:

Recarbonation is a process of reducing the hydrogen in concentration or pH value of water which has been softened with lime-soda, with carbon dioxide. This apparatus may be used advantageously in this process, carbon dioxide gas beingsupplied to the gas line I3 and being injected into the water in the basin undergoing treatment. In such -cases the pressure fluid supply for operating the injectors would be taken from or near the outlet of the basin, where the water has a reduced hydrogen ion concentration. In this manner the gas is injected by the water with the lowered concentration.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the invention is adapted for the treatment of sewage. In this case a series of tanks 23, 24 and 25 are connected by conduits 26 from the bottom or outlet of one to the top of the next. Raw sewage is delivered from the delivery pipe 21 to the top of the first tank 23, where it is agitated by means of a plurality of injectors 28 similar to the jets 21 and mounted on a manifold 29, and supplied with treated liquid taken from the outlet of the tank 23 and returned to the jets by means of a pump 3 0 and pipe-line 3|. Air or other gas is supplied to the manifold 29 by means of a pipe line 32.

In addition to the injectors 28 it has been found that it is advisable to additionally agitate the mixture and to provide for a more abundant supply of gas, and this is accomplished by making use of a second series of injectors 33 connected to a manifold. 34 and delivering their streams at a point between the delivery point of the jets 28 and the outlet. The manifold 3411s similar in every way lto the manifolds II and 29 and it is supplied with liquid from the outlet of the tank 23 by means of a pump 35 and pipe-line 3S and with gas from the gas line 32. 'I'he tanks 24 and 25 are both equipped similarly in every way to the tank 23'. the liquid undergoing treatment being delivered from the bottom of one to the top of the next.

When the liquid leaves the bottom of the last tank 25, it may bel conducted by means of a pipe 31 to the top of a sediment tank 38, passing through a distribution box 39 at the top thereof. In this tank subsidence and sedimentation takes place and activated sludge is deposited at the bottom of the tank as at 39, from where it may be drawn oif through a sludge draw-off line 40. For promoting the early activation of the biologic life within the rst treatment tank 23, a portion of the activated sludge in tank 38 may be withdrawn through suction line 4| to sludge pump 42 and discharged through a return sludge pipe 43 to the first treatment tank 23.

For controlling the apparatus of the plant, hand controlled valves are provided in the various pipe lines. Thus the flow of sludge from the tank 38 to the first tank 23 or to a sewer or sludge dryer through the pipe 40 is controlled by the valves 44, 45 and 46. The secondary jet systems may be controlled by the valves 41.

By the use of the apparatus great quantities of gas bubbles are entrained in the liquid, and these are of such minute size that they are carried completely through the tank. Their small size provides an enormous contact area and the length of time that they are submerged permits adequate absorption bythe liquid. Thus in sewage treatment an adequate supply of air bubbles for the supplying of oxygen to accelerate the life of aerobic bacteria in the sewage liquid undergoing treatment is provided for. In raw water treatment the presence of such air bubbles accelerate the accretion of floc, as well as aerates the water and removes carbon dioxide. In lime-soda treated water, bubbles of carbon dioxide may be introduced to lower the pH value. Filtered water may be aerated and recirculated by the apparatus of this invention.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to passage for gas, means those skilled in the art without furtherA description, 'and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to withy out departing from the spirit or sacrificingl any `of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim, is: 1. In an apparatus for mixing and conditioning liquid, areceptacle having an inlet at its top and 2. In an apparatus for mixing and conditioning liquid, a receptacle having a central inlet at its top and an outlet at its bottom, the receptacle,

inlet and outlet' being so arranged that liquid will iiow substantially vertically through the recep, tacle from the inlet to the outlet, an annular manifold surrounding the inlet at the top of the receptacle and having a passage for liquid and a for supplyingD liquid and f gas under pressure to the respective passages of and an outlet at its bottom, the receptacle, inlet the manifold, mixing devices, each having a gas -chamber connected with the gas passage of the manifold, a jet upon one side of the gas chamber and connected with the liquid passage of the manifold for `delivering a stream of liquid through the gas chamber whereby gas is entrained in the stream, and an outlet passage of substantially the' same size as the jet arranged in the wall of the gas chamber opposite-to the jet for receiving thev stream delivered by' the jet, and a nozzleconnected to the outlet passage, the nozzles ofthe respective mixing devices being positionedto deliver the streams of liquid and gas bubbles at spaced points adjacent the periphery of the receptacle and about the inlet thereof, the said4 streams being delivered in directions tangential to the periphery of the receptacle and downwardly' at angles inclined to the direction of ilow of the liquid in the receptacle.

. 3. In an apparatus for mixing and conditioning liquid, a receptacle having aninlet at its top and outlet being so arranged that liquid will flow downwardly substantially vertically from the inlet to the outlet, a set of nozzles arranged to de,y

and gas bubbles' at high in the receptacle adjacent` liver streams of liquid velocity to the liquid lts surface and at points spaced about and ad-V jacent to the periphery/of the receptacle, the nozzles being arranged to deliver the streams `in directions tangential to the periphery of the receptacle and downwardly at angles inclined to the direction of the flow of the liquid in the receptacle, a second set of nozzles arranged to deliver streams of liquid and gas bubbles to the liquid in the receptacle between the rst set of nozzles and the outlet, the second nozzles also being arranged to deliver streams at points spaced about and adjacent the periphery of the receptacle in directions tangential to the said periphery and downwardly at inclined angles to the direction of iiowv of liquid in the receptacle, and means for supplying liquid having gas bubbles entrained therein to the sets of Lnozzles.

4. The proc'ess of mixing and conditioning a liquid that comprises continuously introducing liquid to the top of a body of the liquid in a receptacle, delivering at high velocity a jet of liquid having finely divided gas bubbles entrained therein to the top of the body of liquid at a point below and adjacent the surface thereof,v and drawing off liquid from the bottom of the body, whereby theliquid moves downwardly from a zone of vigo-rousagitation and mixing caused inv the upper part of the body by the jet to a relatively quiet conditioning zone, the finely divided gas bubblesbeing carried into the zone by the liquid.

5. 'I'he process of treating a liquid that comprises introducing the liquid into the top of a body of the liquid and withdrawing it from the bottom thereof, separating a portion of the liquid conditioning that has been withdrawn, entraining gas in the formof nelydvided bubbles in the separated liquid and thereafter delivering it downwardly to the upper portion of the body of liquid at high velocity in the form of 6. 'I'he process of lowering the hydrogen ion streams, subjecting the vtop portion of the body of liquid to violent agitation and the bottom portion to gentle agitation.

concentration of a liquid, that comprises introducing aflow of liquid to the top of a receptacle, introducing carbon dioxide in the form of finely divided bubbles by means of liquid' under pressure directed downwardly adjacent and below the surface of the liquid in the receptacle', .and

'withdrawing liquid from the bottom of the receptacle.

HERMAN B. ANDERSON. 

